Best Team

After a 91-win regular season, International League title and Triple-A National Championship victory, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders rode off as the fans' and MiLB.com staff's choice as 2016's top team.Full story »

54%

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

RailRiders collect Governors' Cup, Triple-A title

MLB Affiliation: Yankees

The RailRiders led the International League with 654 runs scored while topping all full-season leagues with a 2.98 ERA and .636 winning percentage. Even after losing Gary Sanchez, Aaron Judge and others to promotions, they went on to win the Triple-A National Championship.

9%

Oklahoma City Dodgers

Dodgers keep stepping up in OKC following callups

MLB Affiliation: Dodgers

After top prospect Julio Urias got called up, new No. 1 Jose De Leon maintained the momentum as Oklahoma City led the Pacific Coast League with 1,245 strikeouts. Offensively, Corey Brown and Rob Segedin tore up the circuit with a combined 44 homers and 136 RBIs.

8%

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Pelicans remain powerhouse in Carolina League

MLB Affiliation: Cubs

Though they lost top prospect Gleyber Torres in a midseason trade to the Yankees, the Pelicans continued to be a dominant force in the circuit. With a league-best 3.47 ERA, Myrtle Beach hurlers helped get the squad to the Finals for the third straight year and earning its second consecutive Mills Cup.

8%

Eugene Emeralds

Ems boast Minors' best winning percentage, first title since 1975

MLB Affiliation: Cubs

Eugene was nearly unstoppable in 2016, breaking their own Northwest League record with a 15-game winning streak. Sporting a .711 winning percentage and 54 victories, the Emeralds came three wins shy of the circuit record for victories. Led by Cubs No. 3 prospect Dylan Cease, the Ems also finished first in the league with 680 strikeouts.

6%

GCL Phillies

Top Draft pick leads Phillies down the stretch

MLB Affiliation: Phillies

With 28 RBIs and 10 stolen base, Mickey Moniak -- the No. 1 overall pick in this year's Draft -- boosted the Phillies to the Gulf Coast League playoffs. The squad led the league with 294 runs and 514 hits while winding up with a .741 winning percentage.

6%

Reading Fightin Phils

Fightins offense among Minors' best with Bash Brothers

MLB Affiliation: Phillies

With arguably the greatest offense in the upper levels, the Fightins topped all three Double-A leagues with 1,309 hits and 790 runs while leading the entire Minor Leagues with 185 home runs. Ranked Phillies prospects Dylan Cozens and Rhys Hoskins led the onslaught with 78 combined long balls.

5%

Jackson Generals

Jackson earns second title in franchise history

MLB Affiliation: Mariners

Led by highly ranked Mariners prospects Tyler O'Neill and D.J. Peterson, the Generals topped the Southern League with 1,211 hits and capped the year by picking up their first title since 2000 before switching affiliations to the D-backs soon after.

2%

High Desert Mavericks

Mavericks close doors with league crown

MLB Affiliation: Rangers

All year long, it was difficult to stop the High Desert lineup. From top to bottom, the hot-hitting Mavericks led the Minors with 856 runs and ranked second with 1,345 hits en route to winning the California League title in their final year of existence.

1%

State College Spikes

Spikes nail down second title in three years

MLB Affiliation: Cardinals

With a New York-Penn League-leading 378 runs scored, the Spikes cruised to their second title in three years. In their first pro seasons, Tommy Edman and Vince Jackson drove the State College offense, while veteran Steven Farinaro led the pitching staff.

1%

Corpus Christi Hooks

Bats keep Hooks contending in Texas League

MLB Affiliation: Astros

Starting the year with top prospects such as Alex Bregman, Derek Fisher and Teoscar Hernandez, Corpus Christi went on to lead the Texas League with 142 homers as J.D. Davis and his .818 OPS remained a tough out for Double-A pitchers.

Game of the Year

Led by nine RBIs from leadoff man Bobby Boyd, the Class A Advanced Lancaster JetHawks posted 29 runs in a May 26 victory over Stockton en route to the MiLBY as Game of the Year. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre belted its way to the fan vote.Full story »

41%

Austin hits half of RailRiders' six homers

Slugger clubs three, watches teammates go back-to-back-to-back

Tyler Austin bashed three home runs on one of the best nights of his career on June 24, but it was a trio his teammates and their back-to-back-to-back homers that had the Yankees prospect amazed for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The RailRiders' Donovan Solano, Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez cranked three in a row in the sixth inning of a 8-5 win. More »

16%

Wahoos get the win; Smith gets the girl

Reds prospect proposes on field after final frame

For the final few innings of his team's 5-4 comeback win on May 28, Double-A Pensacola's Bryson Smith wasn't really paying all that close attention. The outfielder was too nervous about proposing to his girlfriend, which he did after the victory. (She said yes, by the way.) More »

14%

Ascher, Biscuits pull off unusual no-hitter

It wasn't the most glamorous no-no in history, but Double-A Montgomery finished the feat nonetheless on June 21. Steve Ascher got his team started with three hitless frames and a trio of Biscuits relievers followed by holding the line. Despite walking seven and giving up a run, Montgomery won, 2-1. More »

7%

Flying Squirrels soar to 12-run inning

Richmond nearly bats around twice in team-record fifth frame

After their starter gave up a homer, the Double-A Flying Squirrels knew they needed an answer. What followed was a 12-run outburst in the fifth inning that saw every hitter in the Richmond lineup, except for one, come to the plate twice en route to a 13-3 win at Akron on Aug. 27. More »

6%

RockHounds roll to third straight title

Midland pulls off first Texas three-peat in 91 years

It had been nearly a century since any Texas League team pulled off what Double-A Midland did on Sept. 16. After rain delayed the start of the game for more than three hours, the Oakland affiliate won its third straight title with a 4-1 victory over Northwest Arkansas in Game 4 of the circuit Finals. More »

5%

Emeralds set record with 15th straight win

Eugene outscores opponents, 92-43, during impressive run

On the way to a Northwest League title, Class A Short Season Eugene laid waste to the competition over two straight weeks. The Emeralds set a league record with 15 straight victories, downing Boise, 7-1, in the last game of the streak Aug. 19. More »

4%

Mavs wave goodbye with Cal League crown

High Desert secures fourth title in final season

In the waning hours of the franchise, Class A Advanced High Desert went out on top. The Mavericks powered through a three-game sweep of Visalia to polish off the California League Championship Series with their fourth league title. They're headed east to the Carolina League in 2017. More »

4%

Yankees, Cyclones start season with marathon

Crosstown NYPL rivals play 20 innings on Opening Day

With bright eyes and fresh legs, the Class A Short-Season Staten Island Yankees and Brooklyn Cyclones took the field for their season opener on June 17 and promptly played over two games' worth of innings. After the Yankees broke through for a run in the top of the 20th, they held on in the bottom of the frame to start the season 1-0. More »

2%

JetHawks set franchise record with 29 runs

Lancaster drubs visiting Stockton as Boyd breaks out

Bobby Boyd had driven in just eight runs in his first 28 games of the season when he went off for Class A Advanced Lancaster on May 26. The Astros prospect bashed his first professional grand slam and drove in a personal-best nine runs from the leadoff spot as the JetHawks crushed Stockton, 29-11. More »

1%

Blaze quintet carves up Rawhide with 18 Ks

Five Bakersfield hurlers combine to one-hit Rawhide

Five Bakersfield pitchers combined to strike out 18 batters in a one-hitter against Visalia on Aug. 10, each registering at least two strikeouts and going no more than two innings in the 1-0 win. Joe Pistorese earned the win, allowing the lone hit but striking out six over two frames. More »

On July 16 the Bowling Green Hot Rods honored their region's rich bourbon and bootlegging history by changing their name to the "Bootleggers," a one-game celebration that walked away with Promo of the Year.Full story »

31%

The Bowling Green 'Bootleggers'

Bats, beards, bourbon and barrels collide in Bowling Green

The Bowling Green Hot Rods, who in 2009 staged Minor League Baseball's first 'What Could've Been' promo, are still at it after all these years. This season they honored the region's history of covert whisky production by taking the field as 'The Bootleggers.' Fans received complimentary mason jars. More »

16%

Purple Game, Purple Game

Columbia pays tribute to a pop legend

The Fireflies' inaugural season was highlighted by a promotion in honor of Prince. On what would have been his 58th birthday, the team wore purple jerseys, hosted a Prince cover band and shot off purple fireworks. Any fan driving a little red Corvette received free admission. More »

14%

KISS Night

El Paso comes alive, rocks 'n' rolls all night

With an assist from theme jersey provider OT Sports, the El Paso Chihuahuas became the first team in Minor League Baseball to pay uniformed homage to the rock band KISS. The KISS Army turned out in full force, resulting in legions of makeup-wearing fans and over $20,000 raised via a jersey auction. More »

10%

Life-Size Bobblehead Hall of Fame

Senators grant undulating immortality to their all-time greats

When it came to their new team Hall of Fame, the Harrisburg Senators went big. 2016's three honorees -- Vlad Guerrero, Cliff Floyd and Bryce Harper -- were enshrined via life-size bobbleheads on the stadium concourse. Guerrero, the first inductee, was in attendance for his big day. More »

9%

Man vs. Marathon

Which takes longer to complete -- nine innings or 26.2 miles?

The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders enlisted 12 teams of five runners each, who tried to run a marathon in less time than it took to play a nine-inning ballgame. RailRiders players wore glow-in-the-dark running-themed jerseys, with proceeds benefiting a local charity. More »

8%

Let's Go Miles

Omaha fans lend their support to a true superhero

Miles Mortenson, the 4-year-old son of Omaha Storm Chasers pitcher Clay Mortenson, has been fighting cancer since 2014. The team had fans design 'Let's Go Miles' superhero jerseys, and then wore the winning entry during a ballgame in June. More »

5%

Glenn Hubbard 'Snake' Bobblehead

An insane baseball card becomes an insaner bobblehead

Glenn Hubbard's 1984 Fleer baseball card featured a photo of him at Philadelphia's Veterans Stadium, smiling contentedly while draping a giant snake over his shoulders. Hubbard is now a Lexington Legends coach; the team honored him this season with a bobblehead inspired by the baseball card. More »

3%

Asparagus Night

Ports go green with celebration of Stockton's signature crop

Stockton, California, is the asparagus capital of the world. The Ports are proud of this distinction, so much so that they wore asparagus-themed jerseys, staged asparagus-centric trivia contests and, of course, served plenty of asparagus specialties at the concession stands. More »

2%

The Lehigh Valley 'Cheesesteaks'

A celebration of Lehigh Valley's favorite foodstuff, 'Wit' onions

Following in the footsteps of the Fresno Tacos, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs underwent a one-day transformation and became the 'Cheesesteaks' on 'Salute to Philadelphia Night.' After an online vote, the team took the field wearing hats 'Wit' onions. More »

2%

My Big Fat Fresno Wedding Show

Parker T. Bear becomes first mascot to officiate wedding ceremony

Fresno Grizzlies mascot Parker T. Bear, forever on a quest to spread the love, had the brilliant idea to become ordained as a Universal Life Church minister. During the Grizzlies' 'My Big Fat Fresno Wedding Show,' Parker oversaw the weddings of three couples and renewed the vows of three more. More »

Photo of the Year

A stormy summer day in Indianapolis turned out pretty well for both Adam Pintar and the Indians as the skies cleared and baseball fans voted his image of a Victory Field sunset Photo of the Year, marking the second straight year an Indy photograph has claimed the award.Full story »

34%

Sunset in Indy

Adam Pintar/Indianapolis Indians

The sun goes down at Victory Field during an Indians' Triple-A game against Norfolk in Indianapolis on July 29. Fans got to enjoy a 12th-inning walk-off win by Indy, too.

22%

Post-game fireworks

Kamp Fender/Birmingham Barons

White Sox Minor Leaguers Nicky Delmonico (left) and catcher Jeremy Dowdy enjoy some postgame fireworks after helping the Double-A Birmingham Barons to a win at Regions Field on May 21.

21%

Field above the field

Joe Territo/Rochester Red Wings

Rochester Red Wings second baseman Tommy Field made a full-out diving effort to snag this hard-hit ball against Lehigh Valley on Sept. 2 but came up just short.

8%

Bandits celebrate

Rich Guill/Quad Cities River Bandits

Quad Cities shortstop Kristian Trompiz found himself the center of attention on July 28 after capping a three-hit night with a walk-off single in the 11th inning to beat Peoria, 8-7.

7%

Heads up

Patrick Cavey/MiLB.com

Aberdeen IronBirds catcher Stu Levy got a real close look at a pitch on June 26. The Orioles prospect fouled a ball off the plate, and it ended up bouncing up and hitting him in the head during an at-bat against Connecticut.

2%

Fence flip

Rick Nelson/MiLB.com

Auburn's Nick Banks went the extra mile in chasing a foul ball on Aug. 5 against State College. The right fielder, who did indeed catch the ball, also added a pair of hits in the Doubledays' 9-0 shutout at Falcon Park.

1%

Championship bath

Cliff Welch/MiLB.com

Carlos Rodriguez dumps some Powerade on GCL Cardinals manager Steve Turco after St. Louis' Rookie-level affiliate beat the Phillies to win the GCL Championship on Sept. 7 at Bright House Field in Clearwater, Florida.

1%

Summer night in Brooklyn

Gordon Donovan/MiLB.com

Fans were treated to a picturesque sunset during a Brooklyn Cyclones game at MCU Park in Coney Island on July 2. The Mets affiliate dropped the holiday weekend game to Connecticut, 5-4.

1%

Lowe's broken lumber

Sandy Tambone/MiLB.com

Hudson Valley's Nathaniel Lowe lost half his bat on a swing against West Virginia on July 11 at Dutchess Stadium. The first baseman had a two-run double in the Renegades' 6-1 win.

1%

Floating in Spokane

James Snook/Spokane Indians

Spokane Indians shortstop Brallan Perez avoids a hard slide by Tri-City Dust Devils second baseman Nate Easley to complete a double play at Avista Stadium on July 27.

1%

Making it look nice 'n easy

Rick Nelson/MiLB.com

Syracuse Chiefs outfielder Matt den Dekker had no trouble making a leaping catch in front of the wall against the Louisville Bats on June 7.

A ball down the third-base line, initially ruled an error but later changed to a hit, capped Francisco Mejia's hitting streak at 50 games and helped earn the Indians prospect a MiLBY. Jordan Kipper's no-no for the Travelers was the fans' pick.Full story »

Despite some recent struggles, it took Jordan Kipper just one batter to shift into unhittable form in his start May 18. The 23-year-old right-hander issued a leadoff walk, then shut down Northwest Arkansas the rest of the game for Arkansas' first no-hitter since 2010. More »

High Desert lefty fans 15 over seven hitless frames in Cal League Finals

Brett Martin was left speechless after his masterful performance in Game 2 of the California League Finals. The 21-year-old yielded only a seventh-inning walk over seven hitless frames and struck out multiple batters in each inning as High Desert won, 1-0, before winning the title a day later. More »

In his first start since the death of his brother in a tragic ATV accident, Brandon Woodruff dominated on the mound and in the batters' box as he gave up just one hit while striking out nine over six scoreless innings and swatted a solo homer in Biloxi's 1-0 victory over Pensacola. More »

After being widely mistaken as ineligible for the 2016 Draft, T.J. Friedl provided an impressive introduction to the professional ranks. Freshly signed as an undrafted free agent by Cincinnati, the 20-year-old outfielder drilled homers in each of his first two at-bats for Rookie-level Billings. More »

Francisco Mejia's hitting streak nearly ended at 49 games, but Lynchburg's official scorer changed the 20-year-old's third-inning grounder down the third-base line from an error to a hit after the game. The reversal helped Mejia match the longest Minor League hitting streak in nearly a century and the fourth-longest all-time. More »

Jonathan Holder entered Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's game against Rochester with no outs and the tying run at the plate in the sixth. All he did to preserve the lead was strike out the entire Red Wings lineup and then some, helping his team clinch an International League playoff berth in the process. More »

In second start with A's organization, righty fans 12 in one-hit shutout

Despite dealing with a cold for much of the day, Jharel Cotton delivered one of the best starts of the season in his second appearance since being traded from the Dodgers. After not allowing a baserunner through 8 2/3 frames, Doug Bernier's triple in the ninth finally halted his march toward perfection. More »

Plenty of pitchers posted double-digit strikeout numbers this season, but none reached the heights Emilio Vargas hit on Aug. 20 when he fanned 17 Quad Cities hitters. Having reinvented himself after dropping his curveball from his repertoire several weeks earlier, the 20-year-old fired a career-high eight innings. More »

T.J. Rivera came into Las Vegas' regular-season finale down four points to teammate Brandon Nimmo in the Pacific Coast League batting race. After producing his third straight three-hit performance, the 27-year-old infielder stood alone atop the circuit, his .353 average clipping Nimmo by a point. More »

Just 17 years old and having never homered in 145 professional at-bats, Adrian Rondon crushed three long balls and had a career-high nine RBIs to account for more than half his team's runs in Rookie-level Princeton's 16-2 drubbing of Burlington. More »

Best Farm System

With big years from some emerging stars and steady progress from top prospects, the rebuilding Phillies have turned around their fortunes across the Minors and picked up a MiLBY for their efforts. The Yankees earned the fan vote following some high-profile trades.Full story »

39%

New York Yankees

Recent acquisitions bolster organization already on the rise

The International League's Governors' Cup and the Triple-A National Championship banner both wound up in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and Gary Sanchez hit better in the big leagues than anyone could've predicted. On top of that, the Yankees added top 100-talent in Clint Frazier, Gleyber Torres and Justus Sheffield.

18%

Seattle Mariners

Organization makes rapid progress as every affiliate reaches playoffs

Although Andy McKay seemingly had little to work with when he was named director of player development last October, the Mariners were the only organization to send every domestic affiliate to the playoffs, and the DSL Mariners made the postseason as well. Tyler O'Neill and Luiz Gohara were among the standouts.

9%

Chicago Cubs

Home-grown talent shines in Majors but there's more in pipeline

In a farm system that made a huge impact on the Major League landscape this year, Eloy Jimenez and Trevor Clifton dropped jaws, Ian Happ and Jeimer Candelario continued their impressive development and Dylan Cease was dominant while getting his feet wet as a pro. The talent keeps flowing.

7%

Boston Red Sox

International signings, recent Draft picks have system looking strong

There aren't many clubs that would still have more in the tank after trading Anderson Espinoza, Logan Allen, Manny Margot, Javier Guerra and Carlos Asuaje in two deals, but the Red Sox recorded a .556 Minor League winning percentage and continued to cultivate big-name prospects such as Yoan Moncada, Andrew Benintendi and Michael Kopech.

6%

Los Angeles Dodgers

Highly touted players live up to hype; others raise the bar

By and large, the Dodgers' premier prospects -- Julio Urias, Jose De Leon, Cody Bellinger and Alex Verdugo -- met lofty expectations, and lots of names that were less familiar at the beginning of the year -- Brock Stewart, Johan Mieses and Andrew Toles -- demanded attention with monster performances.

6%

Philadelphia Phillies

Draft and trades help form prospect-rich organization

Ben Lively, Jorge Alfaro and Thomas Eschelman are among the prospects the Phillies have traded for, and they've drafted the likes of Mickey Moniak, Cornelius Randolph and J.P. Crawford over the last few years. Not to mention Dylan Cozens, who led the Minors with 40 homers while Reading teammate Rhys Hoskins had 38.

6%

St. Louis Cardinals

Pitching highlights system, but position players also impress

Alex Reyes and Luke Weaver earned the chance to flash their capabilities in the Majors, and Sandy Alcantara was a strikeout machine on the farm. Beyond strong young arms, St. Louis got strong performances from Harrison Bader, Magneuris Sierra and Edmundo Sosa. No wonder five domestic affiliates reached the playoffs.

5%

Cleveland Indians

System stands out on mound, at plate, in record books

Francisco Mejia's 50-game hitting streak made history, but he wasn't the only one making waves. While talents like Triston McKenzie, Shawn Morimando and Adam Plutko led the pitchers, Bobby Bradley swatted 29 homers and top prospect Bradley Zimmer shined across the Minors' top levels while Akron brought home the Eastern League crown.

3%

Houston Astros

Parent club contends while continuing to develop top talent

With the year Alex Bregman had, his performance alone would give any player development staff legitimate reason to be proud. Yet even after having graduated or traded top prospects, the Astros still have the likes of Joe Musgrove, Francis Martes, Derek Fisher, Kyle Tucker and David Paulino.

1%

Minnesota Twins

Despite recent graduations, power and pitching wait in wings

Even with Byron Buxton and Jose Berrios no longer considered prospects, a pair of pitchers in MLB.com's Top 100 prospects (Tyler Jay and Stephen Gonsalves) and a few more who had brilliant years (Kohl Stewart, Fernando Romero, J.T. Chargois) make Minnesota hard to ignore. Hitters like Nick Gordon, Alex Kirilloff and Adam Walker also can't be overlooked.

Breakout Prospect

The cream of the international crop in 2013, Eloy Jimenez struggled at times over his first two seasons but became a breakout star for the Cubs in 2016 and earned a MiLBY for his efforts. Pirates righty Mitch Keller showed uncanny control and was the fans' choice.Full story »

A second-round pick in 2014, Keller missed most of 2015 with a forearm strain. The 20-year-old came back strong in 2016 and showed impressive control at Class A West Virginia, where he made 23 starts before joining Class A Advanced Bradenton in time for the playoffs. His 7.3 K/BB rate ranked third among Minor Leaguers with 100 innings or more as he moved from No. 14 in the Pirates system to No. 5 (No. 73 overall).

Bellinger hit 30 homers in 2015 at Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga, but questions remained about whether that power was inflated by the California League. He responded with 26 blasts between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City, despite being one of the youngest players in both circuits. He's now MLB.com's No. 32 overall prospect after starting the season unranked.

You may know Mejia as the 20-year-old switch-hitting catcher with the longest Minor League hitting streak since 1954 at 50 games. You might not know he hit just .243 with a .670 OPS at the Class A level in 2015. Combined with his 43.5 percent caught-stealing rate, Mejia is now a top-100 prospect.

The 20-year-old was already well-regarded for his speed and abilities in the field but showed major improvements at the plate in 2016, hitting .341 with an .874 OPS in 54 games at Double-A Binghamton. Now a more well-rounded player, he's jumped from No. 79 all the to No. 12 in MLB.com's overall rankings.

Toles was released after three years in the Rays system and didn't play at all in 2015. The Dodgers signed him last September, and the 24-year-old promptly climbed three levels -- posting at least a .314 average and .857 OPS at each stop -- before making his Major League debut in July and becoming an important contributor for the NL West division winners.

Considered the No. 10 prospect in the Cubs system at the start of the season, Jimenez was just looking to solidify his standing in his first full campaign. With a regular-season MVP, All-Star Game MVP and a trip to the Futures Game now under his belt, the 19-year-old slugger could be the next big thing in Chicago.

Potential and projectable were the buzzwords for the 2015 42nd overall pick entering the season. He showed plenty of the former, particularly at Class A Short Season Mahoning Valley, where he owned a 0.55 ERA in 49 1/3 innings. The 6-foot-5 righty with three above-average pitches jumped into the top 100 and could continue to climb if he repeats those numbers at higher levels.

The Dodgers signed the 20-year-old Cuban defector last July and sent him to the complex-level Arizona League for his pro debut. He lasted five starts there before moving up two levels to Class A Great Lakes, where he posted a 2.29 ERA and struck out 55 in 39 1/3 innings. With a fastball that can touch triple digits, he finished with a 12.3 K/9 average and is now MLB.com's No. 92 overall prospect.

The 21-year-old became one of the game's most exciting left-handed pitching prospects by climbing three levels from Class A Advanced High Desert all the way to the Majors. Mendez, who hadn't pitched more than 66 1/3 innings in a season before 2016, is now the No. 2 prospect in the Rangers system (No. 56 overall) after starting out the season at No. 14.

After starting the year outside the top 100, the 22-year-old worked his way to No. 38 in MLB.com's overall ranking on the strength of an impressive fastball-curveball mix. Expected to arrive in the Majors in 2017, he accelerated that plan and even rivaled top Nationals prospect Lucas Giolito for spot starts in the Washington rotation.

Top Relief Pitcher

The Yankees' Jonathan Holder was dominant in his return to the bullpen in 2016, pitching so well he earned his MLB debut and the MiLBY for top reliever. Padres lefty Kyle McGrath catapulted from Class A Advanced to the Triple-A National Championship Game and took the fans' vote.Full story »

In just his second full season, McGrath cruised from Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore to Triple-A El Paso. The University of Louisville product recorded a sub-1.00 ERA overall and capped his impressive run with an appearance in the Triple-A National Championship, where he spun a scoreless frame.

Holder busted onto the scene with his best season statistically. The 23-year-old kept batters off-balance across three levels before making his big league debut with New York. His strongest game came when he struck out 11 straight hitters in a four-inning relief appearance for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

While Dayton has been in the Minors for seven seasons, he pitched like it was 2010 all over again with his best ERA since his rookie campaign. The Auburn product's strong strikeout-to-walk ratio (about 8:1) led to a Major League debut, where he only got better with Los Angeles.

For 41 appearances across Double-A and Triple-A, Barnes was nearly untouchable, especially as the season went on. While bouncing between Buffalo and Toronto, the Princeton product held Minor League foes to a run on six hits through his final 17 outings.

Carasiti made his fifth pro season his best with a career-low 1.96 ERA between Double-A Hartford and Triple-A Albuquerque. Before making his Major League debut in August, the 25-year-old found plenty of time to lead the Minor Leagues in saves.

After four seasons at Class A or lower, Moronta burst onto the Class A Advanced scene with San Jose. In the hitter-friendly California League, the 23-year-old kept batters off balance while getting the ball more times than anyone else in the circuit with 60 appearances.

Jimenez started the year with a clean 0.00 ERA in 17 outings for Class A Advanced Lakeland before he was swiftly promoted. After splitting the rest of the season between Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo, the Puerto Rico native finished second in the Minors with 30 saves.

In his first full season, Herget was dominant for just about all 50 of his appearances for Daytona. Continuing his success from last year, the University of South Florida product led all three Class A Advanced leagues with 24 saves.

Finding himself in the Pacific Coast League for the second straight year, Hoyt took advantage of the extra experience. The 29-year-old posted personal bests in ERA and saves before making his big league debut with Houston on Aug. 3.

Wieck notched a career-best ERA while advancing from Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore to Double-A San Antonio. After getting promoted to the Texas League, the 24-year-old held opponents to a run on 10 hits in 20 1/3 innings in his home state's circuit.

Top Offensive Player

Phillies slugger Dylan Cozens led the Minors with 40 homers and 125 RBIs while stealing 21 bases for Double-A Reading to earn the Top Offensive Player MiLBY. Padres prospect Hunter Renfroe, who helped Triple-A El Paso to its first PCL title, secured the fan vote.Full story »

The PCL MVP, Renfroe paced El Paso's run to the Triple-A National Championship. His 69 extra-base hits were tops in the league, and his 30 homers tied Reno's Kyle Jensen for the lead. Renfroe was the only Minor Leaguer with that many jacks and an average above .300, earning his first Major League look.

Like Bregman, Dahl simply couldn't be contained by Minor League pitching. After bashing 13 dingers and stealing 15 bags over 76 Double-A games, he moved up to the PCL and homered at an even faster rate, knocking five in 16 games before getting called to the bigs on July 25.

Mejia was a model of consistency, not only putting together the longest hitting streak (50 games) of any Minor Leaguer since Dwight Eisenhower was in the White House, but doing so through a promotion while playing catcher. He went hitless 15 times all year and helped Lynchburg reach the Mills Cup Finals.

The Joe Bauman Award winner as the Minors' homer leader, Cozens also paced the Eastern League in doubles and extra-base hits. The outfielder's 61 walks and 21 stolen bases showed he didn't need to hit the ball a mile to do damage -- his 106 runs scored were most in Double-A.

Bregman hit so well that the Astros changed his position to get his bat into the big league lineup by the end of July. After opening the season in the Texas League, the 2015 first-rounder then crushed six homers and six doubles over 18 Pacific Coast League games.

O'Neill led the Southern League in slugging, RBIs and total bases (250), and he was the circuit's regular-season and postseason MVP. In the playoffs, he hit .448 with three homers and nine RBIs over seven games to usher Double-A Jackson to its first title since 2000.

Among the 18 full-season Minor Leaguers who posted an OBP above .400, Moncada is the only one to tally at least 30 doubles and as many as 40 steals and 15 homers. The 21-year-old entered 2016 with 81 Class A games under his belt and concluded it with a call-up to Boston, skipping Triple-A entirely.

Only teammate Cozens compiled more homers than Hoskins, who put up a higher batting average and on-base percentage while leading the Eastern League with a .943 OPS. His also had a league-high 38 doubles and scored 95 runs while hitting primarily from the fifth spot in the lineup.

Nimmo fell one point short of the PCL batting title -- which went to Las Vegas teammate T.J. Rivera -- and was second in the league in OPS, but he led all of Triple-A ball in on-base percentage. The 23-year-old scored 73 runs and tallied 44 extra-base hits in 97 games while also seeing time in New York.

Haniger posted a .407 on-base percentage with 21 extra-base hits through 55 games at the start of the season in the Double-A Southern League, but when he was bumped up to Triple-A, he hit even better. Batting .341 over 74 games, the outfielder also tallied 20 homers and 20 doubles.

Top Starting Pitcher

Dodgers righty Brock Stewart earned three in-season promotions, the last of which sent him to the Majors, and won the staff vote as the 2016 top starting pitcher. P.J. Conlon, who put himself on the Mets' organizational radar with a stellar year across two levels, was the overwhelming fans' choice.Full story »

Irish-born, California-raised P.J. Conlon put together a string of seven straight wins in his first eight starts in April and May with Class A Columbia. After putting up a 1.84 ERA in 12 South Atlantic League starts, Conlon was better in 12 outings in the Florida State League, posting a 1.41 mark.

The Minor League wins leader, Lively was a perfect 7-0 in nine starts with Double-A Reading, then tied for the International League lead in wins, despite not making his first appearance in Triple-A until May 27. The righty limited IL batters to a .196 batting average in 117 2/3 innings.

Over the course of his first full season back from 2014 Tommy John surgery, Dietrich Enns returned to the promise he showed before the injury. The former Central Michigan Chippewa registered identical 7-2 records with Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and put up a 1.73 season-long ERA.

Stewart started his 2016 season in Class A Advanced. Less than three months later, he was in the Majors on the back of 21 starts on the farm that saw the 2014 sixth-rounder out of Illinois State go 9-4 with a 1.79 ERA for Rancho Cucamonga, Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City.

A year after finishing third in the Minors in ERA, Stephen Gonsalves made a midseason climb to Double-A in his second straight breakout season. Once he arrived in the Southern League, the lefty dominated, going 8-1 with a 1.82 ERA in 13 starts.

Though it seems like the Pirates have been waiting on Glasnow to arrive for a while, the towering righty is still just 23 and dominated the International League with an 8-3 record and 1.87 ERA in 20 starts. In 116 2/3 innings, he struck out 144 while opponents batted just .176 against him.

After dominating the Florida State League to start the season (4-1, 1.83 in eight starts), Woodruff was promoted to Double-A Biloxi. There, the Brewers prospect fanned 124 in 113 2/3 innings and finished his season as the Minors' strikeout leader.

In his first full season in the Brewers system, Hader continued to take leaps forward. The lefty started the year by registering a 0.95 ERA in 11 starts with Double-A Biloxi before getting the call to Triple-A Colorado Springs. Though he posted a 5.22 ERA there, he still struck out 88 in 69 innings at the level.

Dallas Baptist product Chance Adams was unbeaten in 12 starts with Class A Advanced Tampa, going 5-0 with a 2.65 ERA, and then won his first eight decisions with Double-A Trenton. In all, the righty finished 2016 at 13-1 with a 2.33 ERA in 25 outings during his first full season of professional ball.

A second-round pick in 2014, Keller helped Class A Advanced Bradenton to a Florida State League championship after going 8-5 with a 2.46 ERA in 23 starts at Class A West Virginia. The Pirates' No. 5 prospect, he blanked the Yankees over a career-high eight innings in Game 3 of the FSL Finals.

A sliding grab in foul territory by Myrtle Beach first baseman David Bote, who somehow maintained his concentration while running up a bullpen mound and avoiding the pitchers' bench, secured the fans' vote for the best play of the Minor League season.Full story »

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Bote ranges far and foul

Myrtle Beach first baseman David Bote, running away from home plate at full speed, made a spectacular over-the-shoulder catch in foul territory. Among the tasks at hand: don't trip over the bullpen mound; try not to crash into the metal bench.

Is that a shortstop or a pitcher?

Everyone loves to see pitchers come up with a big hit. Perhaps even better is when a hurler like Fresno's Joe Musgrove -- who is listed at 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds -- makes an athletic sliding play on a bunt and fires a bullet to first.

Fernandez denies long ball

Not only did Cedar Rapids right fielder J.J. Fernandez perfectly time his leap to take a homer away from Grant Heyman of Kane County, he fired a one-hop strike back to the infield to complete the double play.

Crawford robs Sands of a hit

Hill channels Willie Mays

West Michigan outfielder Derek Hill made a number of highlight-reel plays this season. This one gets the edge for both robbing South Bend's Eloy Jimenez of extra bases and doubling up P.J. Higgins at first base.

Tapia climbs hill for catch

In just Raimel Tapia's fourth game patrolling center field in Albuquerque, the Rockies prospect was tested twice in one inning as deep fly balls sent him up Isotopes Park's hill -- with impressive results.

Not necessarily known for his power, the RailRiders' Jake Cave went so deep June 15 his blast landed atop a nearby building, left an impression on a pair of Yankees slugging prospects and secured the fans' vote for Best Home Run.Full story »

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Cave connects with nearby building

The Fricker's building in Toledo got in the way of a blast from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's Jake Cave on June 15. Had it not, the ball might have ended up in the nearby Maumee River.

Dickson decides PCL Finals

Down 9-7 to Nashville in the eighth inning of a decisive Game 5 in the Pacific Coast League semifinals, Oklahoma City got a huge boost from O'Koyea Dickson. His third homer of the series, a three-run shot, gave the Dodgers a 10-9 edge they would not relinquish.

Rosa slams playoff win

Trying to become the first Texas League team to win three straight titles since 1925, Midland came into its best-of-5 semifinal series against Corpus Christi tied at one game apiece. Down 5-3 with two outs in the ninth, Viosergy Rosa delivered one of the biggest playoff homers in team history.

Diaz delivers in the clutch

Isan Diaz was named the Brewers system's Player of the Year for heroics such as this two-run walk-off blast for Wisconsin on July 23. There were many other walk-off homers in the Minors this year, but few inspired the home team's play-by-play announcer to such ecstasy.

Bregman unleashes walk-off laser

Alex Bregman's 13th homer of the season was his second walk-off hit for Corpus Christi, a no-doubt shot in the 10th inning that set off a memorable (and messy) celebration at home plate as the Hooks topped San Antonio, 5-4, on June 11.

Hood hammers mammoth homer

Valdespin ties it in grand fashion

It wasn't Game 7 of the World Series, but Jordany Valdespin probably dreamed of this scenario when he was a kid: bases loaded, two outs, bottom of the ninth ... Valdespin gets the 2-0 fastball he's looking for and the crowd goes wild!

Deglan's long ball gets nothing but net

The Frisco RoughRiders made waves last offseason with their introduction of a lazy river at Dr Pepper Ballpark. On Aug. 3, Frisco's Kellin Deglan drove a ball that would've gotten wet if not for the gentleman with the fishing net.

Best Blooper

In what would be his second on-field run-in with an opossum, Biloxi center fielder Brett Phillips saved the day by once again shooing the animal toward a fence in foul territory and winning Best Blooper for his efforts.Full story »

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Phillips confronts outfield critter

Marsupials seem to have a thing for Brewers prospect Brett Phillips. In 2014 he encountered an opossum in Quad Cities. Two years later he got another visit in Biloxi and knew not to get too close.

Dragons play infield pinball

If South Bend's P.J. Higgins played baseball for 50 more years, neither he nor any of his teammates would do this again -- rap a double-play comebacker that glances off pitcher and umpire before bouncing perfectly to second base. We'll score it 1-U-6-3.

Sheep takes stroll in State College

Two years ago Major League Baseball created a Pace of Game Committee to focus "on decreasing time of game." If the committee has any suggestions on reducing sheep delays, the State College Spikes could use them.

Campbell's uncanny cue shot

Fly balls are known to carry in certain Pacific Coast League parks like El Paso, but we have no explanation for this roller off the bat of Las Vegas' Eric Campbell. Kids, always run out your grounders.

Sano, Beresford both use their heads

There's a fine balance between interfering with your teammate who's trying to catch a popup and being close enough to snag the rebound when the ball bounces off his head. Rochester's James Beresford gets it just right.

R-Phils win on wild intentional walk

In the interest of speeding up the game, it has been suggested that intentional walks should simply be issued, rather than actually having to throw four balls. A counter-argument is provided here by Akron's J.P. Feyereisen.

Mikulik makes most of ejection

Minor Leaguers love to play for skipper Joe Mikulik, who over the years has developed quite a portfolio of meltdowns after adverse umpire calls. This May's installment involved the RoughRiders manager punting second base.